How religious you are may be genetic

Jane Austen

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn7147.html
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Moloth · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 3:23 pm Post subject:

"Gullible" is genetic. *shrug*
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Last edited by Moloth on Tue Feb 30, 2026 13:61 am; edited 426 times in total

baddogma · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 3:40 pm Post subject:

Meh...I doubt it.

You'd think if it were genetic we would see 30% of the Chimps bowing to Mecca.
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Tormentor

This is incredibly unlikely. I say this based on my experience as an ex-jehovah's witness. I have seen so many fall short of being even 1% as religious as their parents, while others are extremely religious. Take me and my brother for example. My brother practically spent his entire teenaged life at my grand parent's house, and he became extremely Christian, while I on the other hand for the most part have 0% belief in god.

Jane Austen · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:26 pm Post subject:

I thought it was an interesting idea Sad

_________________
JANE

I think that I shall never smell
a poem as pugnant as a hell
where grinning devils turn the screws
on Saintly Sikhs and Upright Jews
Giving them the holy scorcher,
timeless, transcendent torture
Poems can make you want to yell,
But only God can give you Hell.
-Phillip Appleman

OrdinaryClay · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:52 pm Post subject:

JarrardC. · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 4:48 am Post subject:

Ok so they proved how twins are genetically connected. But the never explained how religion is related to genes.

1: These twins share identical genes.
2: These twins were born into a religious home and are religious.
C: Therefore, religion is genetically inherited.

That's it?

..

Okay.

baddogma · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:07 am Post subject:

I think the "mind virus" explanation fits best.

If it were in your genes you could never convert.

That sorta fucks up the free will argument too.

.
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PJS · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:52 am Post subject:

These studies try to account for variation in traits between the groups involved. I do not believe any scientist at the University of Minnesota is arguing religiosity is only genetically determined, but that there is a genetic component. Personality traits are a combination of nature and nurture. At the University of Minnesota for many years identical twin studies have been conducted, including 56 sets of monozygotic(identical) twins separated and raised in different environments for all or most of their formative years. Bouchard was the lead researcher and he concluded that genes play a significant role in a long list of personality traits, including religiosity. Now, the question of how we go from the level of the gene to behavior or traits is still an open question. Brain structure seems most plausible as the connecting link.
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redraiderdude187 · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:53 am Post subject:

rickyroma · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:05 am Post subject:

drix41 · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:30 am Post subject:

If this were true you would have no free will...so ordinary clay...do you still think this is interesting??
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josephpalazzo · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:39 am Post subject:

Sal1981 · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:49 pm Post subject:

Then I must be a mutant, because all my family, AFAIK, are religious, except me.
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PJS · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:54 pm Post subject:

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